Belt buckle lock



Jan. 2, 1951 KIRSTEN 2,536,063

BELT BUCKLE LOCK Filed Dec. 20, 1947 INVENTOR 54 HUGO R. K/RSTE/V ATTORNEY Patented Jan. 2, 1951 UNITED. STATES PATENT OFFICE BELT BUCKLE LOCK Hugo R. Kirsten, Brooklyn, N. Y.

Application December 20, 1947, Serial No. 792,980

4 Claims.

This invention relates to belt buckle locks in general.

Among the objects of the present invention it is aimed to provide an improved belt buckle lock for use on obstreperous or demented persons in hospitals and the like, which lock is substantially foolproof against picking by toothpicks, match sticks and the like, and which in turn, when in open position, will be in position to receive the buckle tongue and lock the same upon exercising a slight pressure on the tongue into locking position.

These and other features, capabilities and ad vantages of the present invention will appear from the subjoined detail description of specific embodiments thereof illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which Fig. l is a plan viewof a belt buckle made according to the present invention showing a part of a belt attached thereto.

Fig. 2 is a side elevation of the belt buckle and part of a belt as illustrated in Fig. 1.

Fig. 3 is a transverse section of the locking unit enlarged as compared to Fig. 1 after the key has turned the locking bolt into unlocked position.

Fig. 4 is a transverse section on the line ll4 of Fig. 3.

Fig. 5 is a section on the line 5-5 of Fig. 3

with the tongue in position to be pressed into locked position.

Fig. 6 is a transverse section with the looking bolt in tongue locking position before the key has depressed and turned the bolt into unlocked position.

Fig. '7 is a section on the line 1-4 of Fig. 6.

Fig. 8 is a section on the line t5 of Fig. 6.

Fig. 9 is an end view of the locking unit showing one type of key slot made for a substantially flat key such as shown in Figs. 3' and 6.

Fig. 10 is a plan view of an end disk containing a wave-shaped key slot for a key that is wave-shaped in cross section.

Fig. 11 is a flattened View of the locking bolt.

In the embodiment shown in Figs. 1 to 9, inclusive, the belt buckle l consists essentially of the chape or cross arm 2 to receive the loop ii of the belt 4 and the ends of which arm 2 are connected to, or have extending therefrom, the side arms 5 and 6. The arms 5 and 6 in turn are connected at their other ends to the cylinder or container 1 for the locking barrel or bolt 3. Ac cording to convention, the buckle I is preferably composed of metal and the belt i of leather. The belt 4 at the loop 3 is preferably provided with a slot 9 to receive the perforated end H) of the tongue I I.

II is provided with the perforation or. opening l2 to receive the chape 2 of the buckle.- The free end of the tongue H, see Figs. 5 and 6, is provided with a recess 52' to form the bifurcated projections l3 and M. Preferably the side arms 5 and 6 have aligned depressions i5 and the tongue I! is slightly curved at 16 as shown adjacent the projections 13 and M. The curved portion l6 of the tongue ll cooperates with the depressions l5 in the side arms 5 and 5 to facilitate engagement of the tongue, particularly when removing the tongue II from locking engagement with the bolt 8.

The cylinder 1 in the present instance is closed at one end by the base 11. In the present instance the ends of the cylinder 1 are recessed as at I8 and [9 to receive the arms 5 and 6, respectively.

The cylinder 1 in addition has an opening 28 about one-third the circumference of the same to enable the projections I3 and M of the tongue I! to cooperate with the barrel or bolt 8.

The bolt 8 is chambered as shown, having one end closed by the base 2| to cooperate with the spring 22 tensed or positioned between the base ll of the cylinder 'i and the base 2| of the bolt 8. The spring 22 thus normally urges the bolt 8 against the disk 23 which is secured to the open end of the cylinder 7 by any suitable means. In the present instance the disk 23 is so secured to the end of the cylinder 1 by staking, burrs 2d and 25 diametrically opposed to one another on the arm 5 being expressed to extend into engagement with the edge of the disk 23. The disk 23 has a key slot 26 therein having a central enlargement 2i and two diminished plane ends 28 and 29 to receive the iiat key such as the key 30.

The form of the bolt now to be described constitutes one of the main features of the present invention. The bolt 8 has a large opening 3! above the base 2| characterized by a lower aX- ially extending shoulder 3;! and upper axially extending shoulder 33. The shoulder 33 in the operation of the lock will be engaged by the tongue II when closing or pressing the tongue I l into locking position, see Fig. 5, and the shoulder 32 will be received between the two projections l3 and it after the bolt has been rotated into locking position, see the position shown in Fig. '7.

Below the shoulder 33, the opening 3! is also provided with an axially extending shoulder 36 spaced from the shoulder 33 by the arcuate cam The perforated end of the tongue forming shoulder 35, and above the shoulder 32 the opening 3! is provided with an axially extending shoulder 36 spaced from the shoulder 31. The space in the opening 3! between the shoulders 33 and 36 is less than the space between the shoulders 34 and 32.

For anchoring the bolt 8 in a lower unlocked position against the tension of the spring 22, the recessesBBand 39 are formed toreceive the pin 53 extending through and fixed in the cylinder 1 by upsetting the ends of the pin 40. Obviously a single recess 33 or 39 would suffice, the two recesses 38 and 33 in the present instance being provided to enable using a pin, such as-the-pin 40, that extends diametrically across the cylinder 7 from one wall to the other. The recess 38 in the present instance is merely an extension of the opening 3! while the recess 39 is part of the slot or opening 4! which extends spirally or at an angle to the axis of the bolt 8. Consequently, if the bolt 8 were depressed against the tension of the spring 22, as for instance by thekey '39 and rotated in a counter-clockwise direction, looking down at the bolt from the direction of the key 30, the recesses 33 and 5-39 would be positioned in alinement with the pin to and the lower edges or circumferentially positioned shoulders 42 and of the bolt 8 adjacent the recesses 38 and 33 would act as stops to engage the pin so and thereby anchor the bolt in a depressed posi tion, see the position of the pin 43 in Fig.4. For rotatng the bolt 8 into unlocked position, that shown in Figs. 3 and '4, axially extending shoulders44 and 45 are provided for engagement with the outer portion 46 of the key 33. The c1earances formed by the arcuate-edges l'l'and 4G in turn "will cooperate with the portion 46 of the key'to enable the portiontfi to clear the bolt 8 'while being returned into realinement with the wings 28 and 29 of the key slot where thekey 30 may be withdrawn from the cylinder 'l.

After the bolt'shas been moved into unlocked position, that shown in Figs. 3 and 4, the shoulder 33 will be exposed at the opening 23 ofthe cylinder l, see'Figs. 4 and'5, and consequently if the tongue H is then brought into engagement with the shoulder 33 and pressed down against the shoulder 33, such pressure will cause the bolt 8 to rotate in a counter-clockwise direction when looking at Fig. 5 until the pin 43 clears the recesses 33 and 39, whereupon the spring 22 will be free to actuate the bolt 8 in a rotary and upward direction guided by the extension ii of the recess 33, acting as a cam, in which position the projections l3 and I4 and the tongue M will receive between them the shoulder 32 of the ope" ing 3!. The bolt will now remain in the upper or outer position shown in Fig. 6 until the key 3% is again insertedinto the key slot 2 5 and brought into engagement with the shoulders 44 and 45, again to rotate the bolt 8 guided by the extension 4| cooperating with the pin ill until the pin it! again is seated in the recesses 38 and 39. When the key Bil initially rotates the bolt fiinto this unlocking motion, the clearance provided adjacent the shoulder 34 will enable the bolt 8 to clear the tongue H and in the further rota- "tion'of the bolt 8 the arcuate cam formingshoulder will engage the tongue II and press it out of the opening 26.

In turn, after the key has been removed, the bolt 8 will again be in position for automatic locking engagement with the tongue ll. It will then only be necessary as heretofore set forth to press the tongue ii against the shoulder 33 until the pin 40 clears the edges or seats 42 and 43 when the arcuate cam forming edge 31 will be in position to enter the jaw [2 between the projections l3 and I4 and guide the tongue into 5 engagement with the shoulder 32 of the bolt 8, that is, into the locking position shown in Fig. 7.

The disk 23 preferably has a stop or projection 49, see Fig. 3, extending downwardly axially into thebolt 8. The disk 23 is, of course, fixed to the arm 5 and cylinder 1 so that th bolt 8 will be rotatable relative to the shoulder 49. The shoulder 49, see the dotted line position 49, shown in Fig. 9, will prevent the key 3!] when inserted intothe key slot 26, to rotate in a clockwise dil5 vrection, but only in a counter-clockwise direction. The stop 49 will thus serve as a guide to the attendant to know in which direction to turn the key 30. Since speed is of the essence in the operation of these locks, the value of the stop 49 is, of course, beyond question.

The elongated slot26 also cooperates'with the shape of the key blade 53 in the interest of making this look foolproof. The blade'tfi as shown in Fig. 6 has two recesses'ill and'52intermediate its length. These recesses fil and 52 are so positioned that when the key blade 58 is inserted into the slot 26. the portion 46 will pass below the'disk 23 and adjacent to the shoulders i l and 455, the edges 41 and'48 being so positioned that they will enable the portion 46 to clear the disk 23 and allow the recesses 5| and'52 to aline with the disk 23. Consequently, when thekey is then turned in a counter-clockwise direction, the recesses 5| and 52 will clear the disk'23 and enable the blade 53 to rotate the bolt'fi in a counterclockwise direct on.

The slot 26 will of course so be positionedthat it will be in alinement with the edges 44 and 45 of the bolt when the bolt is in the extended position shown in Fig 6. The'bolt'B is, of course, guided by the pin 40 and predetermined in its position in the cylinder 7 at all times by the cooperation of the pin 40 with'therecess 39 and extension M. The recess 38 consequently merely serves as a clearance for the pin 40.

The stop 49 always serves not only to guide the attendant in the distance of rotation 'required to unlock the tongue I l, but also in guiding the attendant in the distance required toreturn the key 33 into alinement with the wingsZB and 23 of the key slot 26 where thekey can be readily removed from the bolt 8.

Since only the outer lateral edges of the portion 45 engage the shoulders 44 andf45 of the 5 bolt, the cross-section of the bladeEii mayhave any one of a number of shapes, so'that onekey, if mislaid, will not enable a wrongdoer-to open any one or all'of the belt buckles of a group of patients. 'Only one other form is illustrated in the present instance,as for instance, the waveshaped key slot 53 of the disk 54 illustrated in Fig. 10 for a key blade which is wave-shape in cross-section.

It is obvious that the present lock may be used 5 to advantage not only with belts but alsowith mail bags, ladies hand bags, trunks and the like, without departing from the general spirit of the invention.

It is obvious that various changes and modifications may be made to the details of construction without departing from thegeneral spirit of the invention as set forth in the appended claims.

I claim: 1. The combination of a frame having a pivotally mounted tongue, said tongue having twojaw forming projections at the free end thereof, a cylinder closed at one end and having an opening in the cylindrical wall thereof, a barrel rotatably and slidably mounted in said cylinder, a pin secured to the wall of said cylinder, said barrel having a guide shoulder with a spiral portion and terminating in a circumferentially positioned seat to cooperate with said pin, a spring tensed between the closed end of said cylinder and one end of said barrel normally to urge the barrel toward the open end of said cylinder, and said guide shoulder into engagement with said pin, the intersection of the guide shoulder spiral portion and the circumferentially positioned seat being at least as far as any other point of said seat from a plane perpendicular to the axis of the barrel and through the spring end of the barrel, said barrel having a first shoulder and a second shoulder, said first shoulder exposed at the opening in said cylinder when the barrel is in extended or locked position, said second shoulder exposed at the opening in the wall of said cylinder when said pin rests on said seat and said barrel is thereby anchored in retracted or unlocked position to'receive said tongue to enable pressure on said tongue to rotate said barrel and then enable said springto spirally actuate said barrel and thereby said first shoulder into locking engagement with the jaw of said tongue, a disk having a key slot secured to the open end of said cylinder, there being recesses in said barrel adjacent to said disk, said barrel having axially extending shoulders on one of the sides of said recesses and clearances on the other of the sides of said recesses, the key slot being in alinement with said axially extending shoulders when said spring is expanded, and a key having a blade extending into said cylinder through said key slot, said blade being recessed to clear said disk and enable said blade to engage the axially extending shoulders of said barrel to rotate the same into unlocked position, said clearances enabling said key to clear said barrel when it is rotatably returned into position where it can be withdrawn from said key slot.

2. The combination as set forth in claim 1 characterized by the disk having a stop to cooperate with the blade to limit its rotatable movement from a position in alinement with the key slot to a position where the barrel is in unlocked position.

3. The combination of a frame having a pivotally mounted tongue, said tongue having two jaw forming projections at the free end thereof,

a cylinder closed at one end and having an opening in the cylindrical wall thereof, a barrel rotatably and slidably mounted in said cylinder, a pin secured to the wall of said cylinder, said barrel having a guide shoulder with a spiral portion and terminating in a circumferentially posi- 'r tioned seat to cooperate with said pin, a spring tensed between the closed end of said cylinder and one end of said barrel normally to urge the barrel toward the open end of said cylinder, and said guide shoulder into engagement with said pin, the intersection of the guide shoulder spiral portion and the circumferentially positioned seat being at least as far as any other point of said seat from a plane perpendicular to the axis of the barrel and through the spring end of the barrel, said barrel having a first shoulder anda second shoulder, said first shoulder exposed at the opening in said cylinder when the barrel is in locked position, said second shoulder exposed at the opening in the Wall of said cylinder when said pin rests on said seat and said barrel is thereby anchored in unlocked position to receive said tongue to enable pressure on said tongue to rotate said barrel and then enable said spring to rotatably actuate said barrel and thereby said first shoulder into locking engagement with the jaw of said tongue, a disk having a key slot secured to the open end of said cylinder, there be ing recesses in said barrel adjacent to said disk, said barrel having axially extending shoulders on one of the sides of said recesses and clearances on the other of the sides of said recesses, the key slot being in alinement with said axially extending shoulders when said spring is expanded and enabling a key to extend into said cylinder to engage the axially extending shoulders to rotate said barrel and the clearances permitting the return of the key into position for removal.

4. The combination of a frame having a pivotally mounted tongue, said tongue having two jaw forming projections at the free end thereof, a cylinder closed at one end and having an opening in the cylindrical wall thereof, a barrel rotatably and slidably mounted in said cylinder, a pin secured to the wall of said cylinder, said barrel having a guide shoulder with a cam portion disposed at an angle to the axis of the barrel I and terminating in a circumferentially positioned seat to cooperate with said pin, a spring tensed between the closed end of said cylinder and one end of said barrel normally to urge the barrel toward the open end of said cylinder, and said guide shoulder into engagement with said pin, the intersection of the guide shoulder cam portion andthe circumferentially positioned seat being at least as far as any other point of said seat from a plane perpendicular to the axis of the barrel and through the spring end of the barrel, said barrel having a first shoulder and a second shoulder, said first shoulder exposed at the opening in said cylinder when the barrel is in locked position, said second shoulder exposed at the opening in the wall of said cylinder when said pin rests on said seat and said barrel is thereby anchored in unlocked position to receive said tongue to enable pressure on said tongue to rotate said barrel and then enable said spring to rotatably actuate said barrel and thereby said first shoulder into locking engagement with the jaw of said tongue, a disk having a key slot se cured to the open end of said cylinder, there being recesses in said barrel adjacent to said disk, said barrel having axially extending shoulders on one of the sides of said recesses and clearances on the other of the sides of said recesses, the key slot being in alinement with said axially extending shoulders when said spring is expanded and enabling a key to extend into said cylinder to engage the axially extending shoulders to rotate said barrel and the clearances permitting the return of the key into position for removal.

HUGO R. KIRSTEN.

REFERENCES CITED UNITED STATES PATENTS Name Date Woodside Apr. 18, 1939 Number 

